Darkest Before Dawn
by Sympathy for the Snape
Summary: Albus Potter befriends a boy with the surname Prince. Harry investigates while ancient politics begin to threaten the English Wizarding World. AU


A/N: Don't own HP.

Quick Summary: Albus Potter, Sorted into Slytherin, befriends a boy with the surname Prince. Harry investigates while ancient politics begin to threaten the English Wizarding World. "Albus, Voldemort is dead. Darkness is not." AU

Full Summary: Albus Potter is Sorted into Slytherin and becomes friends with a lonely boy named Jack Prince. Surprisingly, Albus becomes fast friends with Scorpius Malfoy as well. Harry becomes suspicious and investigates John Prince Senior, but he doesn't have much time as Scottish and Irish Wizarding clans rile up the Ministry with demands for independence.

Darkest Before Dawn

It was easy for his father to say, Albus knew. It was easy for Harry to say things about Slytherins not being evil, that there were brave Slytherins, and that Snape had been so brave. Harry wasn't going to Hogwarts under the shadow of James Sirius Potter. James was a great brother when they were at home, but he had never teased him before like that and Albus was wondering how it would be at Hogwarts. James earned good marks, was popular, a Gryffindor, Seeker…

Albus Potter walked down the aisles of the Hogwarts Express and took quick looks into the compartments, though he didn't enter them, and wondered where he would sit. Anyone would accept him because of his father, but was sure that he didn't want to sit with people just for that. Victoire waved to him and he waved back, but backed out of the compartment.

Was it too much to ask that he could be on his own for once?

He heard James behind him and slid into the next compartment, barely opening the door.

"D'you mind if I sit here?" he asked, not even paying attention to who was in the compartment. "I'm Albus Potter."

There was no answer, so he threw himself on the seat and jumped up immediately as claws sank into his hand.

"If you'd waited a few seconds more, I would have answered. And I would have told you my cat was there."

Albus pressed his good hand over the scratches and looked down at the thin, almost emaciated cat that had jumped off the seat and onto his owner's lap. The voice belonged to a boy whose hair was limp, black, and hung past his shoulders. His skin was pale and he was thin enough that his skin looked like someone had carelessly stretched it across his tall skeleton. His clothes were tatty with his jumper looking like it might unravel and his trousers (he didn't look like he'd ever even heard of jeans) were slightly too short. He was definitely one of those kids who was going to benefit from the uniform policy former Headmistress McGonagall had implemented for all students after the war. She said it was to make the students less against each other, but Albus had heard his dad say it was for the orphans and people whose money had been embezzled by the Ministry after the war.

"I know I'm poor. There's no reason to remind me," he said. His cheeks were faintly red and Albus shrugged before sitting himself in the seat.

"Doesn't matter," he said.

"That was enough staring to say otherwise," the other boy said, but he didn't sound angry any longer. His cat started rubbing its head against his hand and flopped onto his lap, purring.

"A lot of people got poor after the war," Albus said. "And even if it bothered me, which it doesn't, I'd have to get used to it."

The boy rubbed his cat's head and watched Albus for a few minutes. Albus heard James near the compartment, asking someone if he'd seen his brother. The silence was uncomfortable for Albus. He was used to loud, boisterous people and would have been unnerved, but he didn't much like the loud, boisterous people, even if he'd gotten used to them. Besides, sitting on his cat, intruding on his privacy, and staring like that probably hadn't made a good impression.

"I'm not angry, just annoyed," the boy said. "I'm-"

"Albus-" James burst into the compartment- "the train's leaving in five minutes. Dad wants to know where to put-"

He stopped to stare at the dark-haired boy opposite his brother, taking in his ratty clothes and tattered looking pet. Shrugging, he turned his back to him and spoke to his brother again.

"Dad wants to know where to put your trunk. Train leaves in five minutes."

"Can't he just put it in the luggage compartment?"

"You'll have to get your robes out of it then."

Unsure of sitting with a boy whose name he still didn't know, Albus went ahead and said, "could you have him bring it back here? I'm tired."

"Tired? It's only-"

"It's from-" Albus blushed and didn't want to announce what was wrong with him in front of a stranger.

"Oh. I'll go tell him-"

James ran off again.

"Sorry about my brother," Albus said. "What did-"

"I don't have any siblings," the boy said, looking at where James had stood with some envy laced in his voice. "It's just me and my dad."

"Oh."

"So you're Albus Potter?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Jack Prince. My real name is John, but that's my dad's name. My--my mum always called me Jack."

Jack turned to the window and rubbed his cat along its back. He pursed his thin lips so that even less blood looked to be in them. His eyes darkened and Albus hid the pity coming up. He was sure it wouldn't be welcome. It looked like it had cost Jack a lot to admit that one thing about his mother.

"Sorry," Albus said, not sure why.

"For what? You didn't have anything to do with it. Sorry doesn't fix anything, anyway."

Jack didn't seem anymore forthcoming, so Albus pulled some parchment from his pocket and pulled his wand out of his hip pocket. He only poked at the parchment once before he shoved it back into his pocket from hearing footsteps in the aisle. It was only James with his owl and Teddy carrying his trunk.

"Thanks," he said as Teddy grabbed both ends and shoved it in the storage rack above his head. Priscilla, his owl, had gone to sleep and James put her by Albus's seat.

"See you later, kid," Teddy said. "Write me once in awhile."

He walked out of the compartment while James stayed for a moment.

"You didn't forget the Map, did you?" he asked.

"It's in my pocket," Albus said. "I think I overheard Dad and Uncle Ron talking about it the other day when they were talking about Hogwarts. I know I'll figure it out before Halloween."

"Was it 'accidentally' overhearing?" James asked, grinning.

"Might've been," Albus said. "I might have been getting a drink of water, too."

James ruffled his brother's hair, dodged a kick, and grinned before jumping out of the compartment. All Albus heard was, "told you, you sneaky Slytherin."

"The Map?" Jack asked. All through the familial exchange, Albus had seen his face full of envy and a desperate sadness. Now that he knew he was being watched, Jack had schooled his features carefully to neutrality.

The train suddenly lurched and Albus ran into the aisle. He pressed his face against the windows and watched as his father was walking besides the train. He was watching the window with Albus's face in it intently and Albus was watching him back. He felt like his chest was going to explode and Harry reached the end of the platform. The train pulled around the corner and the last thing Albus saw was Harry with his hand to his forehead and his mother with an arm around him, Lily grabbing onto her robes.

His shoulders slumped and he turned to go back into the carriage with Jack. He brushed past Rose and went back into the compartment. Jack was sitting with his cat still sprawled on his lap, a large book open on his legs.

"What book's that?" Albus asked.

"_Hogwarts, A History_," Jack answered, absently. He stroked his cat again and turned the page.

"So, do you know what House you'll be in?"

Albus pulled at a loose thread on his jeans and kept his eyes on his knees.

"Slytherin, of course. My dad was there-" he froze and didn't seem to know what to say, so he was silent again.

Albus didn't know if Jack was rejecting him or was merely awkward. He plunged forward and kept up a one-sided conversation.

"My dad was a Gryffindor--I mean, well, you probably knew that--and so was my mum. Everyone on my mum's side's been Gryffindor. I mean, I don't want to be in a House that doesn't suit me and I want to try and be on my own, but I don't know. I mean, James keeps telling me I'm going to be in Slytherin, but I don't know if he's pulling my broomtail or he's serious-"

Albus took a breath and glanced at Jack, who hadn't turned the page, but wasn't looking at him. He looked out the window and kept talking.

"My dad told me that he didn't care where I was, as long as I was happy-"

He saw Jack look up with his eyebrows furrowed at that.

"So, I guess I'll see what the Hat says."

Albus looked over at Jack, who had let his gaze fall down, but he had shut his book.

"You know what the Sorting Ceremony is?"

"Doesn't it say in _Hogwarts, A History_?"

Jack shook his head. "There's a spell on all the books. People who don't know what it is just see a bunch of scrambled words."

"My dad told me. He didn't want to, but James kept telling me that I had to do spells and I kept practicing, but we kept getting letters from the Improper Use of Magic Office."

"So what is it?" Jack asked, eagerly. His former coldness was gone now and Albus wondered if he could get something out of it, but stopped thinking it. Maybe he would be in Slytherin, but there were other skills besides manipulation.

"My dad said all they do is call your name and you put on the Hat. The Hat looks into your mind to find out what kind of person you are and shouts out your House."

Jack's attitude suddenly shifted from excited to tense and he moved his book off his lap. The cat looked balefully at him when he budged it off his lap and onto the seat.

"It takes what you want into account," Albus added. "My dad wanted to be in Gryffindor and it put him there, even though it wanted to put him in Slytherin."

"Good," Jack said. "I want to be in Slytherin like my dad. I want him to be proud of me."

He blushed when he realized what he'd said and grabbed his cat. It didn't seem to mind at all and settled itself once again on his lap.

"What's your cat's name?" Albus asked a few minutes later. Jack had turned to the window to watch the countryside, rubbing his cat behind its ears.

"It's Regis," Jack answered, still watching the countryside.

"Where'd you get him? I wanted a cat, but Magical Menagerie said their primary breeders were all busy with an outbreak-"

"He was my…he was my mum's cat when she was in Hogwarts. My dad couldn't--well, he would've been heartbroken if I'd left him at home."

_My dad couldn't afford to get me a new familiar. _Albus heard it as clearly as if Jack had finished his statement.

"My mum's family was really poor for a long time," Albus said. My uncle Ron didn't even start school with his own wand-" "We're not poor," Jack said, but his cheeks were flushed again and he had his hands buried in Regis's fur. "I've got my own wand. My dad made sure of that."

Albus thought that his dad having to make sure he had a new wand said it all, but let the subject drop. Jack hadn't brought up what it was like to live with _the _Harry Potter at all, had barely acknowledged he knew who Albus's parents were.

"What's your wand?"

Jack seemed to relax slightly and took one hand out of Regis's fur to pull his wand from his pocket. Albus's wand was already smudged with a scratch on it, but Jack's was almost black and spotless.

"Fourteen inches, ebony with dragon-heartstring. Ollivander said to be careful because it'd probably break before it bent. He said once my magic steadies it's going to be powerful."

Albus pulled his wand out of his pocket and thought that it still looked good, even if there was a scratch on the handle already.

"Thirteen and a half inches, rowan with a phoenix feather. Ollivander said it's good for Transfiguration and defense."

"Can you do any magic? I tried, but my dad caught me and--he took my wand away until yesterday."

"Not much," Albus admitted. "But since my parents use it all the time and we live in a part-Wizarding village, I got to try some. I got _lumos_, but everyone can get that. I almost got the Levitation Charm too."

"Any hexes or jinxes?"

"I didn't try. I thought my mum might catch me trying that."

"That's too bad," Jack said. "Might have come in handy."

"Might have," Albus said. "But my dad always tells these stories about this place called the Room of Requirement. Voldemort-"

Jack didn't flinch, but he paled and tightened his one handed grip on Regis. Albus had already found himself liking Jack and it increased when he didn't say anything about using Voldemort's name.

"-just after he rose, the Ministry didn't want to believe it. People were dying and disappearing and no one knew how to defend themselves. My dad and his friends started a club called Dumbledore's Army, they shortened it to D.A. They got together and practiced a lot of Defense in there. It gives you whatever you really need. Maybe…maybe we could get a few other first-years and practice together in there."

"Yeah, we could," Jack said with some excitement and Albus let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as Jack seemed to accept his friendship. "Jinxes, hexes, and maybe some lighter curses. Charms, some Transfiguration. Maybe even Potions-"

"I'm going to be horrible at Potions," Albus said, groaning and pressing his forehead to the glass of the carriage.

"I'm good at Potions," Jack said, waving his hand dismissively. "I can help you."

"How're you good at Potions already?"

"My dad's a Potions Master. He sells really tough to make potions, like the Werewolf Restorative Draught or regular Wolfsbane. Sometimes he makes Veritaserum for the Ministry or Felix Felicis for Aurors going to battle."

Albus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as Jack rattled off more potions he'd helped his dad make. If Jack's dad was such a great Potions Master, certainly he'd be wearing more than too-short trousers and a ratty jumper.

"Albus? Al?"

Albus looked up to see Jack watching him suspiciously, like he'd heard everything Albus had been thinking.

All he said was, "you can call me 'Al," and Albus saw some of his teeth were crooked, he looked timid, and it looked unpracticed, but he finally smiled.

* * *

The fields had long since turned to forests and they had passed the wall built by the Romans that signified the land of the Picts a few hours before, but Albus Potter was so immersed in a conversation with Jack Prince about classes that he'd seen the wall out of the corner of his eye as he turned to pet Regis. The sweets trolley had been raided using some of his allowance and they'd been in a such a worried conversation about Transfiguration (Jack was despairing that he'd be pitiful and Albus had been doubtful he would be any better), that Jack hadn't even realized Albus paid for it all as he opened a pack of Chocolate Cauldrons.

The conversation was finally broken as Priscilla woke from her sleep and hooted indignantly at the cat on her boy's lap. Regis opened an eye and hissed before he fell back asleep without concern for the owl. Albus put Regis back on Jack's lap before he leaned over and let Priscilla out of her cage. She landed on his shoulder and ran her beak through his hair before she demanded to be let out. Albus watched her depart and wondered how close they were to Hogwarts.

"How far away d'you think we are?" Jack asked.

"I dunno," Albus said. "I bet my cousin Rosie knows. Let's go find her."

Jack bit his bottom lip and shrugged.

"It'll be fine," Albus said. "I'm Albus Potter, remember?"

He looked like he would smile, but it was good enough for Albus that he placed Regis to the side and stood up. He towered over Albus easily and probably could pass for a second year, if he didn't have the nervous, tense attitude of a first year.

"She's probably with our cousin Victoire," Albus said. "They're just down here-"

He slid open the door to the compartment and entered. Jack stepped half in the compartment and half out, leaning against the doorframe. A beautiful girl with blonde hair had Albus in what looked to be a headlock and she released him to look over to Jack. He inched out the door and she laughed and, suddenly, he was not as mindful if she decided to hug him too.

"How long is it until we get there?" Albus asked.

"A half-hour at most," another girl answered. She had turned her attention from her cousin to Jack and he was acutely aware that the way he was leaning against the door made the shortness of his pants even more noticeable. He stood taller and fingered the end of his wand, which stuck out of his pocket.

Albus made to leave and Victoire grabbed the sleeve of his shirt.

"You haven't introduced us to your friend," she said, glancing over to Jack.

"Jack, these two are my cousins, Victoire and Rose Weasley. Victoire and Rose, this is Jack Prince."

"What House do you want to go to?" Victoire asked. Jack shrugged and looked down at his scruffy shoes. The black leather was dull and he noticed a scratch out of the corner of his eye that he was sure hadn't been there a few hours before.

"He's shy," Albus said cheerfully and Jack felt a surge of gratitude come from nowhere. "He wouldn't talk to me for the first two hours-" _a small, white lie that suited his purposes, good Slytherin trait_, Jack noted, and was cheered up that Albus might be in the same House- "he wants to be in Slytherin, like his dad."

"What House was your mum in?" Rose asked. "Sometimes-"

"I don't talk about my mum," he said, so quietly that they barely heard him as rain began to pound against the metal of the train. He shifted his weight to his other foot and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He held his wand tightly in his left hand and wished that Regis was there.

There was an awkward silence punctuated by the heavy rain. Jack continued his observation of his shoes and there was a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Victoire above him, compassion in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said. "We won't talk about her if you don't want to. We wouldn't have known."

"'S okay," he said. "I'll see you around. I'm going back to the carriage, Al." He turned and went down the aisle. Al made to follow and had the door handle in his hand as Rose directed a question towards him.

"You don't let anyone but your dad call you 'Al'. What's-"

"I dunno. It just sounds better," Albus said feeling a blush creeping up his neck. He shut the door and ran down the aisle. Jack was looking outside at the scenery again.

"Sorry about-"

"You don't need to say sorry. S'not like no one knows."

Albus recognized Jack's immediate need for silence and was quiet. Regis was intent on trying to cheer up his boy and butted his head repeatedly against a limp hand that eventually curled over his ears and rubbed. Albus watched Jack's long, thin fingers kneading the muscles of Regis's back and neck. As Regis grew more relaxed, Jack seemed to settle down.

He wanted to know, but Albus didn't ask. _Why don't you talk about her? Did she die or do worse? _

How would you ask a new friend that? You wouldn't, Albus figured. Well, if she'd left him and his dad with nothing more than a ratty black cat, it was no wonder he didn't want to talk about it. Albus knew that his own mother would rather die than be separated from her children.

"I'll tell you sometime," Jack said, still rubbing Regis, but without the desperation he'd had earlier. "I'll tell you someday, but I don't want to talk about it. I've told you more in one day than anyone knows about me and that was stupid because you could-"

"I'm not going to use anything against you," Albus said quickly. "I promise. You're my friend."

_You're the first friend I've ever had who liked me for me and wasn't impressed with my parents or brother._

Jack watched him with suspicion and shrugged. "OK. Suppose we should get into our robes?"

"Yeah. D'you know what we do with our trunks?"

"Leave them on the train. House-elves get them while we're eating."

Albus was thankful for his small, wiry build as he pulled himself up to the luggage rack to get his robes. They still smell like his room and he savored it while it lasted. He fell back to the ground and put his robes on over his regular clothes. Jack already had his robes on and had his wand out of his pocket, carefully turning it over in his fingers.

"I think you'll have to put Regis in his basket until we get to our dorm," Albus said. "It'll only be a few hours."

Jack looked over to Regis and pulled down his wicker basket.Regis sniffed it a few times and reluctantly climbed in. Jack didn't lock it, but he meowed piteously until Jack put a hand in the basket to pet him.

Both were too nervous and excited to speak and when the train lurched to a stop, Jack quickly locked Regis's basket and grabbed it as they left their compartment. Jack pushed his hair out of his eyes and Albus saw that he looked even paler than he'd been earlier.

They joined a group of students leaving the train. On the platform, Jack looked around and Albus heard Hagrid behind him, voice booming as usual.

"Firs' years over here! Firs' years-"

Albus grabbed Jack's wrist and pulled him over to Hagrid. Jack shrank back a little.

"How tall is he?" he whispered. "Isn't he half-giant?"

"I dunno how tall he is," Albus admitted, "and he is half-giant, but that doesn't matter. He's one of my dad's closest friends. I'm going to have tea with him next Friday, if you want to come."

Jack looked like he might say no, but he shrugged. "OK."

"Albus! How're ya?" Hagrid asked as he caught sight of him and started to lead the first years down the path. In the rapidly declining light, Albus could barely see Jack. He pulled out his wand and whispered, "_lumos_."

"I'm good," Albus answered, managing to avoid a root. Jack jumped over it as well and nearly tripped coming back down.

"I'll chat with you come Friday," Hagrid said, his teeth shining through his black beard in a smile Albus could see through the dark. "Invite any friends you migh' make."

He pushed forward and took complete lead of the group. Jack gripped Albus's shoulders and they both avoided tripping down the trail. It opened up to a large shoreline where boats were waiting for them. All the first years stopped for a moment and stared up at the sight of Hogwarts Castle, its turrets and towers all over the place, with the last of sunlight swallowed up behind it before they were completely immersed in darkness. Albus extinguished his wand and stowed it back into his pocket.

On the edge of the lake, they climbed into the boats and heard Hagrid yelling, "four to a boat!" Rose saw her cousin and climbed into the boat with them. A pale haired boy jumped into their boat just as Hagrid motioned for the boats to start moving forward. Albus vaguely recognized him from the platform.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he said quietly as they all craned their necks up to look at the castle.

"It is," Albus agreed. "Scorpius Malfoy, isn't it?"

He looked over at Albus with a faint grin. "Out to get me already?"

"Nah. Want to be friends?"

Scorpius raised an eyebrow at him and leaned back with a full-fledged smirk on his face. "I'll think about it, Mr. Albus Potter."

"Duck!" Hagrid shouted and everyone immediately ducked the roots of a tree growing from the side of the cliff. They entered the tunnel under the castle and, a few minutes later, the boats lurched to a stop. They clambered out of the boats and followed Hagrid up a stone path. Coming onto grass, they were suddenly right next to the castle. Albus reached out and let his fingers trace along the stone. They climbed the stone stairs and huddled together as Hagrid knocked on the massive oak door.

The door opened at once and Albus knew not to expect Minerva McGonagall (she'd been retired for years), but he saw a red-haired man with long hair and a full beard standing in the Entrance Hall.

"The firs' years, sir," Hagrid said.

"Thank you, Hagrid," he said. Albus heard a Scottish lilt in his voice and hid his grin. It was almost like his father's first year. Hagrid entered the Great Hall and the red-haired man turned his attention to the first years.

"Come in," he said, flicking his wand and opening the door further. "Follow me."

Albus wondered which professor this was and took a closer look as he walked across the Hall with Jack next to him. He wasn't particularly tall, though he was certainly burly, and when he turned his attention back to the years, his glasses glinted in the candlelight. Under his simple, dark green robes, he had on the traditional kilt outfit that Albus had only ever seen on Professor McGonagall's husband, a reticent old man named Andrew. Albus remembered vaguely that the tartan a person wore was representative of their family and saw blue plaid on a red base.

He took them to a small chamber and raised one of his wild eyebrows as he noticed Albus staring at him. Albus blushed and sank himself into the crowd, alternately stepping on Scorpius's foot and driving an elbow into Jack's stomach.

"I am Deputy Headmaster, Head of Slytherin House, and Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts," he said, "my name is Professor Alastair MacTavish. I have taught here at Hogwarts since the end of the Second War."

The silence was so absolute that Albus knew his classes would be serious occasions. There wouldn't be any horseplay, pranks, or immature duels. He knew, without a doubt, that every student in the chamber would pass their DADA OWLs.

"Before the Sorting Ceremony begins, I will tell you about the four Houses. There is Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each has shaped outstanding witches and wizards, all have produced witches and wizards of both the lowest caliber and those who have been internationally acclaimed. The Houses are all equal. Rule-breaking detracts house points, achievements will earn house points. At the end of the year, the House Cup is awarded to the House with the most points. Your House is your family. You eat, sleep, study, and go to classes together, as well as spend free time in your House common room. I would personally suggest to make friends with other Houses as well, just as you makes friends that aren't your brothers or sisters. I will return in just a few minutes, please take the time to--_beautify _yourselves."

He turned and walked briskly toward a door. With his hand on the door handle, he turned to survey the students. His eyes lingered on Albus and Jack before he left. Whispers immediately broke out as soon as people thought he was out of earshot.

"What's the Sorting Ceremony?"

"Oh, Merlin, I hope I get Ravenclaw-"

"My sister told me-"

"Wasn't he a cheerful blighter?" Jack whispered, leaning down to Albus's ear. "Maybe he just hates dressing up so properly. He's got to do it because he's chief of his clan, but-"

"Chief of what?"

"His family. I don't think many MacTavishs are left, though."

Albus looked blankly at Jack.

"Potter, you really don't know anything about Scottish or Irish clans?" Scorpius whispered, coming out of what seemed like nowhere. "If we're in the same House, I've _got_ to explain it to you. They're hilariously backwards."

A red-haired boy behind Scorpius grabbed a handful of his robes and turned him to face him.

"I'm a MacTavish and that was my da' right there," he said furiously. "D'you want to say that again, so one of the McCarthys can hear you? He's right over there."

He pointed and a boy in a corner by himself. He was light brown with shorn black hair and observed the room quietly. He didn't look like much of an Irish nationalist, but as Albus had never seen one before, he couldn't tell.

"He doesn't," Albus said firmly. "He's just thinks he's being a funny prat and he's not."

"He might want to remember to keep his fat mouth shut," the MacTavish boy said in an undertone. "I don' understand most of what the nationalists carry on about, but there's a lot of them here and they're not nearly as thick as I am."

Scorpius looked so hilariously indignant at being talked to with that tone by someone he probably considered a commoner that Albus immediately started to laugh and grabbed Jack by the shoulder to steady himself.

Before he had the chance to say anything, Professor MacTavish returned and said sharply, "follow me, first years. Try not to trip."

Scorpius settled for what he probably considered to be an indignant sniff and got into line behind Albus, who was behind Jack. Albus avoided looking at the Great Hall's ceiling after he snuck a look for the first time. He didn't want to look like an idiot and trip from gawking at a ceiling he'd see for seven years.

The three legged stool was there and the Sorting Hat sat on top of it. Albus had heard that it had stopped singing for ten years from the disaster of the second war. Regardless, it opened the brim and sang today. Albus was too nervous to pay much attention and heard snatches about "Gryffindor bravery", "Slytherin cunning", "Ravenclaw wit", and "Hufflepuff loyalty".

"When I call your name, walk up here and I will place the Hat upon your head," Professor MacTavish said. "Allen Sarah."

Half of her face disappeared underneath the hat and she was dispatched to Ravenclaw. Albus desperately wished the Hat would hurry it up and Sort already. He was hungry and he thought that he just wanted to sit on the wooden bench and be surrounded by people. Jack poked him in the side and whispered the very thoughts he was having and he felt much better, even though the problems were still there.

"Ives, Lucy."

"SLYTHERIN!"

She was the first Slytherin, Albus realized, and they were enthusiastically welcoming her. At least that much was promising.

"Ives, Cora."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Identical twins. That might be fun. He furrowed his eyebrows and realized that there were still no Slytherin boys. He pointed it out to Jack, who only shrugged.

"We're later in the alphabet, aren't we?" he said. "I know that's where Scorpius is going and where I'm going. I wouldn't be surprised to find that McCarthy there too."

The McCarthy boy was Sorted into Slytherin after the Hat took nearly five minutes to decide.

"MacTavish, Ian."

It was the same red haired boy that had warned Scorpius about his mouth. Albus realized he was wearing almost the same exact outfit as the deputy headmaster, right down to the style of shoes.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Almost to Potter. A girl was Sorted to Hufflepuff, another girl was put into Gryffindor.

"Malfoy, Scorpius."

The Hat debated for a whole minute before it shouted out, "SLYTHERIN!"

There were only a few people left, Albus realized. He caught sight of James at the Gryffindor table, watching him. James grinned and pointed at the Slytherin table. Albus turned and pretended to say something to Jack.

"Potter, Albus."

Albus swallowed and Jack pushed him forward. He stepped between a girl and boy and forced his legs to walk normally. They felt like they were weighed down by sandbags. He sat on the stool and the Hat was placed over his head. It slid down to his nose.

_Another Potter. It's a good thing to see another of your family. Always fun to place. Part Weasley too, eh? Perfect Gryffindor material, really, but--_

I don't know if I want to be in Gryffindor. Albus tried to kill the thought because he'd told himself he wanted to be put where he should be. The Hat seemed to chuckle and Albus felt something gently poking around his head.

_You have a lot of courage. More so than your father, I dare say. You'd do well in Gryffindor, but I see something else too. Where do _you _think you should go? _

Wherever you think I'd be best, Albus thought firmly. I really don't mind where I go but, I've got a friend. My first real friend and he's sure he's going to be Slytherin--

_You want to prove yourself. You want to be better than your brother, to shine out from being the middle child and another son. You've got talent too, more talent than you think you have, and you're determined to circumvent me, even though you don't think you want to. You were right about yourself, weren't you? Smart boy--_

"SLYTHERIN!"

Albus felt his chest burning and let out the breath he didn't know he'd had. He heard the loudest applause of the night directed at him and even a few cheers. The Hat was taken off his head and he ran down the aisles to two empty seats near Scorpius. He slid in right by Scorpius and watched as Professor MacTavish called, "Prince Junior, John."

Jack made his way to the Sorting Hat, he caught Albus's eye right as the Hat fell over his face. It only took a few seconds before the Hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

Albus grinned and Jack sat right next to him. A brawny sixth year patted Jack on the shoulder so hard, he fell against the table. Uninterested in the rest of the Sorting (except Rose and Weasley took forever to get to), Albus looked for James at the Gryffindor table and he smirked when he saw Albus watching him. Albus was completely unable to hear what James was saying, but he was sure it was, "I told you so."

"Weasley-Granger, Rose."

The Hat took only a few seconds before it shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"

As the last to be Sorted, Rose scrambled off to her table. Professor MacTavish barely moved his wand as he made his way to the spot right next to the headmaster and the stool and Sorting Hat disappeared.

"Did he just Vanish the Sorting Hat?" Scorpius asked in disbelief.

Jack leveled a scathing look at him. "No, he just decided to send it to New Zealand for a bit of a holiday. It'll be back in a few weeks, rested and ready to Sort again."

"Students," the headmaster said and everyone's attention turned to him. Albus vaguely remembered when he'd been instated after Minerva McGonagall retired and Filius Flitwick declined both positions of headmaster and deputy. His father had hated the idea of anyone he didn't know being in charge of Hogwarts.

He was tall and strapping. His hair mostly silver, but there was still some darker brown. His robes were simple blue silk and Albus saw him smile faintly and then adopt a sterner expression.

"Welcome back," he said and the way he looked over the whole crowd Albus felt like he was already choosing which first years to watch. His eyes lingered on the Gryffindor table. "I hope all of you had relaxing, safe, and enjoyable summers. Enjoy the meal."

As soon as he sat down, the food appeared from the kitchens. Albus grinned at some of the Muggleborns' exclamations and started piling some of everything on his plate. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jack elbow Scorpius in his ribs with what was probably more force than necessary.

"When do we get the uniforms?" Scorpius asked the sixth-year. "And I'm Scorpius Malfoy-"

"Kyle Duke," the sixth-year said. "Quidditch captain. They'll be in your dorms when you get there."

"What are they?" Albus asked.

"Another Potter," Kyle said more to himself. "It's not fancy. Just trousers, plain white shirts, and oxfords. You don't have to wear them and a lot of students don't, but they're 'strongly suggested' so you're absolutely in dress code. You can lose a lot of points for improper dress."

"Aren't they just for classes, though?"

Kyle shrugged. "A lot of the really poor kids wear theirs all the time. You throw your clothes in the dirty clothes and they're back in perfect condition just a few hours later. After school hours and weekends, you can wear Muggle clothes if you really want to."

Albus looked over to Jack, who seemed to be deep in thought, and back to Kyle. "OK. Thanks. I think I might wear mine so I'm in dress code. I don't want to lose a lot of points."

"Suit yourself. You can lose a lot of points, but the teachers don't really care, except McCarthy, and he's a nutter anyway. See him up there by MacTavish? He's got the cane. You'd better be five minutes early to his class and read your textbook beforehand. He's like that old teacher, Snape."

Jack looked up at that and Albus thought he might smile. "What's he teach?"

"Transfiguration."

Albus looked up to the Head Table and looked for MacTavish. He was waving his fork in the air with a sausage on the end as he spoke to the man on his right. McCarthy looked thoroughly unpleasant. He smiled as he spoke to MacTavish and he nodded, but it looked the same as Jack's had earlier, like he never actually used it.

"They do this amazing duel at the beginning of each year's Dueling Club," Kyle said. "McCarthy versus MacTavish. They put it on in a pitch outside the school grounds because they Apparate when they do it. It's bloody and completely brutal. McCarthy sure doesn't need his cane then."

Albus let his eyes linger to the Head Table and saw McCarthy tapping his black cane gently on the ground. MacTavish had stopped waving his fork in the air and they both looked grim and like they were deep in conversation.

"They look like they dance in the sunshine," Jack said snidely. He nibbled on a solitary chicken leg he'd taken. The rest of his plate was shiny and clean.

Kyle smirked and waved off a question about Quidditch tryouts. Albus was immediately suspicious and wondered why a sixth year who was obviously well-liked was bothering with two first years.

_Because you're Albus _Potter, a voice at the back of his mind said in an annoying, sing-song voice. _Albus _Potter _and his scruffy, starved looking little friend. And a Malfoy is a Malfoy._

"MacTavish is also in charge of the Dance Club-"

Jack looked appalled. "Dance Club?"

"A friend's in it," Kyle said. "She says he sticks mostly to Scottish country dancing."

Albus looked up at the table doubtfully and tried to imagine the wild looking professor dancing. Perhaps if he pulled his hair back and trimmed his facial hair up a bit.

"There's a lot of clubs here," Kyle said as pudding appeared and he piled on treacle tart. "I don't imagine your dad had much time for them. He was a bit busy during his school career."

"Killing a Dark lord always does keep your schedule busy," Jack said, his voice full of sorrow. "I'm hoping they calm down a bit for exams and such. It's quite a bother, I imagine, and I don't want to end up taking something again."

Kyle looked as if he didn't know whether or not Jack was making fun of him. He settled on smiling, shrugging, and turning his attention to a fourth year asking about tryouts.

Albus snickered into his cake and Jack stared at some ice cream. He didn't put any pudding on his plate and sat back with his hands folded on the table in front of him, watching everyone around him. Albus was almost done with his cake when Jack sharply elbowed him in the side.

"Look, see that boy over there? Brown hair, Hufflepuff?"

"Yeah. What about-"

"I think he just ate his own bogey."

Albus nearly spit his cake all over Scorpius Malfoy. Jack looked pleased with himself.

"You learn a lot by watching people," he whispered to Albus. "Like I think McCarthy nearly jumped up to hex MacTavish--no, don't look now! He's scanning the crowd for things like that-"

"Yes, and your whispering isn't suspect at all."

"We're plotting pranks," Jack said. "We're not talking about them. Your uncle is George Weasley, your grandpa was a Marauder, and your brother has an Invisibility Cloak-"

"OK, I get it," Albus said. "What did he-"

"I don't know what he said," Jack said. "But-"

The pudding disappeared as the headmaster stood up. He looked a lot more grim than Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog Card, but not nearly as frightening as Snape's.

"Students," he said and waited for their attention. Most of the students looked up at him and he waited for all of them to look up. "Students, I expect the meal was to your satisfaction-" a few cheers, which elicited a smile- "I rather enjoyed the spotted dick tonight, myself, but that aside, I would like to make announcements. Mr. Filch-" _well_, Albus thought, _that's one change I could have liked_- "has banned most products from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. The ones allowed outside of class include the Defense line products and Spell-Checking Quills, for which I'm certain that your professors will thank you. In a recent change of heart, _appropriate _Dicta-Quills are permitted during lectures in some classrooms. Please check with your professors for their personal policies. Quidditch tryouts will be held after the second week of school, your captains will have more information. The Forbidden Forest has not become a haven for bunnies, puppy dogs, and kitty cats and is, rather fortunate for its name, forbidden still."

He paused and scanned the crowd of students. He smiled again. "That is all for the evening, students. I bid you a pleasant farewell and hope your night is restful."

Most of the students rose and started to walk towards the door. Jack and Albus headed towards the male Slytherin prefect. He looked over and actually sneered as he saw Jack, who flushed and narrowed his eyes, and when his eyes landed on Albus, he looked the other way.

"He'll be a helpful bloke," Scorpius said. Albus nearly jumped out of his robes at the sudden appearance. "My father told me all about the prefects in Slytherin. Most of them were chosen for their brains, but apparently that doesn't say much for that class. I wouldn't let him worry you."

"Of course we won't," Jack snapped. "Now can we go? I'd like to see my cat."

"See your cat? A bit clingy?" Scorpius said, obviously trying to get him to smile. Jack narrowed his eyes and left them as the prefects counted the first years and made sure they were all there.

He walked in front of Albus and Scorpius as they followed the prefects out of the hall. They walked across the Entrance Hall with the Hufflepuffs and separated at an intersection not far from the Potions class. Albus though it was the Potions class, at least.

"Leave it alone," Albus said as quietly as he could. "About his cat. It was his mum's cat and he won't even talk about her."

Scorpius didn't say anything, only flipped some hair from his face, but stayed by Albus as they walked down an incline to the Slytherin common room. Albus noticed it immediately as there were no portraits on the bare area of wall. The prefect turned around and said in a clear voice, "Nicholas Flamel."

The solid stretch of wall dissolved and revealed a stone door. The boy prefect entered first and the first years stumbled through the opening, all of them looking around anxiously with a touch of awe, and the girl prefect followed them, shutting the door firmly.

"Boys go with Isaiah," she said. "And girls, follow me."

They separated in the middle of the low-ceilinged common room, boys going to the right with the now named prefect and the girls following the unnamed girl. Some upper years were loitering in the common room and none of them paid any attention to the first years.

"We're under the lake," Isaiah said as he turned and began to walk up stone stairs. They encountered a landing and the plaque by the door said _Seventh Year--Boys _and listed four names. Isaiah kept going up the stairs. Every time they encountered a landing, the next set of stairs was set at a right angle and Albus thought the stairs were a bit like a square Slinky. At the very top, there were no more stairs and the plaque next to the door said _First Year--Boys: Jonas McCarthy, Ian MacTavish, Scorpius Malfoy, Albus Potter, John Prince Junior. _

Jack pulled out his wand and poked at the engraved silver. "Can I get it to say 'Jack'?"

"Maybe if you ask it nicely," Isaiah said with a sour edge to his voice. "These are your dorms. You can't enter the girls' dorms, so don't try. They can, however, get into here. The Founders thought girls were more trustworthy. I wouldn't try to get into the upper year dorms for a variety of reasons and don't worry because we won't try to get into your dorms. Don't bother fifth years and seventh years as you're likely to get hexed. Don't bother me about stupid things. In fact, don't bother me at all."

He turned sharply on his heel and they heard him clambering down the stairs. They all stood in the landing until Jack walked in first and said, "holy Merlin's saggy right-"

Albus rushed in soon after and stared. He'd wondered why there were stairs in a dormitory under the lake. The dorm was circular, like the descriptions of the Gryffindor dorms, and three beds were on the left side of the room whereas two beds were on the other side while a fireplace was burning on the opposite side of the room. Green and silver hangings were over the windows, but were pulled back to reveal greenish-blue water. Albus saw some fish swim past the window and turned to see his dorm mates. Scorpius was smirking and had claimed one of the beds closest to the door. He was already changing into his pajamas.

Albus took the middle bed of the three as Jack found Regis and released him from his basket. Regis jumped onto the bed close to the fireplace and curled up immediately near the headboard, on one of the pillows.

"You already knew, you cheat," Ian said as he changed into his pajamas and slid into his bed. He took his glasses off and put them on the side table. Jonas McCarthy had yet to say anything, but he was already between his sheets and looked to be asleep.

"Of course I knew," Scorpius said. He turned down his blankets and stuck his feet under them before lounging against his pillows. "My father told me all about it. He's got some pictures from his school days. He says it's one of Slytherin's greatest secrets. Everyone knows we're under the lake, but not many people know how Salazar Slytherin designed his dorms."

"Ah, well," Ian said as he yawned and snuggled further into his warm blankets. "My da' wouldn't tell me a word. Not that he says much regardless, but, still. Wouldn't even tell me the bed colors, as if it's a big surprise."

Albus picked up three pairs of black pants from the top of his trunk and stashed them in the nightstand by the bed. He put the three dress shirts in as well, thankful for magical expansion. He'd wear the uniform if Jack wore it, but only then. He rummaged through his trunk for his pajamas, found them, and changed. Ian and Scorpius were still talking about the design of the dorm as he climbed into bed.

"Shut it you two," he heard from Jack. He looked over to see Jack already in his bed. Regis had changed positions and was curled against Jack's side. Ian and Scorpius ended their conversation and there was silence in the dorm, broken as Jonas shifted and his sheets rustled.

"A lot better than the stories and pictures," Albus heard Scorpius murmur as he rolled over. Albus agreed whole-heartedly as he realized that twelve hours ago, being in this room with a Malfoy would have horrified him.

_But Scorpius was really turning out to be alright and Ian seems friendly and Jack's going to be great for the next seven years and Jonas hasn't said anything, so--_

Besides, he was with his first real friend and that was worth it on its own, he thought as he rolled over to see Jack curled up under his blankets, one hand buried in Regis's fur.

A/N: I really enjoy reviews and knowing what people think. Not only that, but reviews keep me motivated to write fanfiction over original fiction.

Anything you're thinking right now about Jack is probably the truth. Unless it's really outlandish. In which case, it's not.


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